Author: Dr Peter F Burke FRCS FRACS DHMSA

Specialty Editor Surgical History - ANZ Journal of Surgery 

Dr William Nathaniel Robertson 

William Nathaniel Robertson was born in Edinburgh in 1866, the son of a Presbyterian minister. His parents emigrated to Queensland six years later, hoping to improve Mrs Robertson’s health with young William left in the care of his grandparents.

William attended the Royal High School and subsequently the Medical School in the University of Edinburgh where he graduated Bachelor of Medicine (MB) and Master of Surgery (CM/ Chirurgiae Magister) in 1892.

Financially strapped and describing himself as, ‘a minister’s penniless son’, Robertson promptly made his way to Queensland, starting general practice at Ipswich in 1893.

He spent six and a half years there acquiring a reputation as a surgeon and obstetrician and was proud he had spent time in busy general practice before undertaking a speciality. As a specialist he always held true to the view that his patient was a fellow being and not just a ‘case’. It was this belief that ultimately made him such a valued consultant, both to the family doctor and the patient.

In 1899 he joined Dr H A Francis in Brisbane, as partner in a practice specialising in diseases of the nose and throat. Robertson applied corrective rather than destructive surgical techniques and before long was recognised for his excellent work. He became the surgeon to the Hospital for Sick Children from 1900 to 1918, and in 1913 founded the ear, nose and throat department at the Mater Public Hospital, working there until 1926.

His professional workload was heavy and included paediatric cases, some requiring removal of foreign bodies from lungs or oesophagus. One of his obituaries opined, ‘a wonderful man with his hands, he could carry out easily and successfully operations which others would approach with grave misgivings’.

War intervened in 1914 and to his great regret he was rejected for overseas service. Nevertheless, his work soon increased as he served as a Major in the Australian Army Medical Corps Home Service. He worked tirelessly among the camps and hospitals in Brisbane, serving on the Repatriation Board, Medical War Committee and Wounded Sailors and Soldiers Fund. In recognition of his service, he was subsequently appointed as Commander of the British Empire (CBE) in 1922.

The University of Queensland (UQ) was established in 1909 by an Act of State Parliament to commemorate the 50^th anniversary of Queensland’s separation from New South Wales. Soon after its foundation Robertson became a member of the University Senate, and from 1926 to 1938 served as Vice Chancellor. In 1931 for his university and other public services he was awarded the honour of Commander of the Order of Saint Michael and St George (CMG). 

Robertson’s role in the foundation of the Queensland medical school ensured the setting of very high standards, as he applied all the criteria that had established his own career. He aimed to found a medical school comparable with those of older centres and constantly compared Queensland standards with those of the Edinburgh school. In 1938, The Edinburgh University Journal recorded the Edinburgh University Senate had resolved to offer Robertson the Honorary Degree of Doctor of Laws.

In 1901 the Queensland Medical Defence Society was formed, and Robertson became a foundation member and councillor of the society until his death. He was a director of the Australasian Medical Publishing Company (AMPCo), publisher of the Medical Journal of Australia (MJA)—from its inception in 1913—and chairman of directors from 1923 until his retirement in 1929.

Robertson was one of the founding Fellows of the College of Surgeons of Australasia in 1926. This was not an easy time as one of his obituaries noted: ‘At the birth of the college many bitter things were said. In Robertson’s case there was no thought of self-interest nor anything but the honour and credit of his branch of the medical profession’.

In February 1927 in Dunedin, College Council met for the first time and resolved to publish a surgical journal as a record of the activities of the College with priority given to articles on the science and art of surgery.

Robertson, was then able to make use of his position on the board of the AMPCo, offering to undertake production of the journal, conditional on the guarantee of financial provision. Mervyn Archdall, Editor of the MJA, was permitted by the directors of the AMPCo to undertake editorship of the proposed College journal, in his leisure time!

July 1928 saw the first issue of the Journal of the College of Surgeons of Australasia which includes New Zealand, with Hugh Devine, one of the founder Fellows, as chairman of the editorial committee and financial guarantor, along with Archdall as editor.

Robertson was president of the Queensland branch of the British Medical Association (BMA) in 1905, 1916-17 and 1935. In 1925 he represented the Australian branches of the BMA at the opening of the BMA’s new house in Tavistock Square, London, presenting a presidential chair as a gift from Australia.

He was a director and later chairman of the Queensland Board of the Australian Mutual Provident Society and a trustee of the Queensland Art Gallery. In addition to his high professional reputation, he also was greatly respected for his financial acumen.

The original arms of UQ 

He was an enthusiastic boating, fishing and shooting sportsman, a reader with wide tastes—particularly for travel and biography—and collecting antique furniture was one of his hobbies.

His deftness in operation was matched by his skill as a cabinetmaker, and for years at BMA Queensland meetings, the president of the branch occupied a special chair made by Robertson.

No one was quicker than Robertson to adopt new ideas, which he thought were good. Deeply interested in his work, passionately concerned with his patients’ welfare, his was an engaging, energetic, kindly and cheerful personality—for both patients and colleagues. He offered not only his skill and knowledge, but also his friendship and hospitality

When necessary, a dour fighter, he nevertheless fought with a smile, and no one could be more generous to a defeated adversary. Sir Henry Newland PRACS wrote of him, ‘Robertson’s sanity of outlook and sense of proportion made him a wise counsellor; he had a great fund of good Scottish stories, and this led to his often being called to play the part of raconteur at BMA Federal committee meetings.

In 1935, The Chronicle of the First World Tour of the British Medical Association was published. The foreword notes that the BMA’s Annual Meeting had been previously held ‘overseas’—in Montreal in 1897, Toronto in 1906, and Winnipeg in 1930—and now in Melbourne, when Robertson was elected as a vice-president of the Parent Association.

Map of BMA World Tour 

William Nathaniel Robertson died in Brisbane on June 12, 1938. The Brisbane suburb of Robertson was named to honour his memory in July 1967.

In 1940 an annual medal was endowed for the most successful graduating UQ medical student, to be known as the ‘Doctor William Nathaniel Robertson Medal’. In 1984, Robertson’s daughter left a bequest to fund the ‘William Nathaniel Robertson Research Scholarship’ at the University of Queensland, which currently is valued at $5000.